The 2025 Manhattan Cup

The 2025 Manhattan Cup

Through a thick morning haze, the southeastern face of One World Trade reflected the rising sun’s orange blaze. It was Friday, June 6, but it felt like mid-July—and the clock had yet to strike 7 a.m. Thankfully, Liberty Marina was blanketed by the shadows of towering New York skyscrapers as anglers and captains lined up to register for the day of fishing ahead. In 2 hours, a fleet of over three dozen boats would steam past Lady Liberty en route to the striper grounds, marking the beginning of the 2025 Manhattan Cup—the 23rd year of the Big Apple’s largest one-day inshore fishing tournament.

Heading out of Liberty Marina in Jersey City moments before the start of the 2025 Manhattan Cup.

In this all-for-fun (but still tense) competition, 40 professional fishing guides and captains generously lent their time, vessels, and knowledge to teams of anglers vying for the largest striped bass and bluefish across three categories: fly, artificial, and bait. Proceeds from the Manhattan Cup are donated to benefit veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as charity organizations that work to protect our valuable marine resources. Many of the valiant men and women who have served our country participated, and in a tournament that recognizes their courage, it’s hard to imagine a more fitting send-off than a run past the Statue of Liberty. She’s a symbol of American democracy and freedom—two of our nation’s core values which these veterans have risked their lives defending.

Lady Liberty in all her glory.

On board the Bass Appeal 9—captained by Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters—the triple Yamaha F300s roared to life, and in that moment, a wave of gratitude and appreciation swamped me. It was a true honor and privilege to be fishing alongside a collection of spectacular anglers and American service men and women.

Boats race south through New York Harbor en route to the striper grounds.

The Tournament

From the get-go, it was apparent that we would be fishing exclusively for giant striped bass. In 2024, my friend and teammate, Mike Dean—who helps to organize the annual event—caught a 60-pound striper with Rockfish Charters. That is a hulking specimen, and the goal was to do it again this year. Our whole team knew that catching another fish of that caliber would require extreme patience and extensive lulls in action. However, with one livewell full of fresh bunker, another full of eels, and large deep-diving metal lips and flutter spoons on board, we felt well-equipped for the task. Trophy stripers had been stationed off the coast of northern New Jersey for several weeks, and we aimed to intercept the last wave of large on their spring migration from Chesapeake Bay.

Dense bunker pods blotted the ocean’s light blue surface as we marched south of Sandy Hook. From an aerial view, I’d imagine the sea looked like an animated, large-scale Jackson Pollock painting as menhaden schools surfaced around the boat. From the port side, four of us fished live adult bunker on Mustad Demon Perfect inline circle hooks as Captain Adrian Moeller maintained the drift time and time again. Meanwhile, longtime first mate for Rockfish, Felix Perez, managed a 2-rod spread of live eels on planer boards from the bow as we floated perpendicular to the Jersey coastline.

First mate of Rockfish Charters, Felix Perez, expertly managed the lines with live eels on planer boards as we set up to drift.

It was quiet for hours, and judging by word from other competing boats, we were not the only ones struggling. The bunker pods never disappeared, even through the building south wind, so we held out hope.

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Captain Adrian Moeller glassin’ for bunker pods off northern New Jersey.

After several quick moves to nearby areas, where we continued to find bait but no bass, Felix excitedly pointed out a flock of diving birds and blitzing fish. After a quick drop of my 4-ounce Fat Cow flutter spoon and Felix bringing in two halved eels, we discovered it was nothing more than cocktail bluefish. When the blues found and surgically chomped our live bunker baits just behind the hook, we left the heads out in hopes of picking up a big bass from below. Everyone knows cow stripers like to scoop up the leftover scraps from a bluefish feed, but they were MIA on this day.

With time running out, our captain made the decision to hit one more reliable spot closer to port. It was crunch time, tensions were running high, and a massive tangle during one of our first drifts did our team no favors. Again, bunker pods surfaced all around us in the growing swell. Finally, with just 10 minutes until the run back to Liberty Marina, Keith Overlander pinned a good fish on one of the last live bunker we had. The rest of us watched in angst as Felix maneuvered the net beneath the bass, and after 5 hours of fishing, we boated a hefty 40-inch striper. It was high fives all around once Felix revealed the nearly bent-out inline circle hook. Had Overlander battled the fish any longer, it may have escaped.

Keith Overlander hoists a 40-inch day-saving striper at the buzzer for our team aboard Rockfish Charters.

While our fish wasn’t large enough to place in any of the winning categories, it was a small victory that boosted morale before heading to the dock for the awards dinner and ceremony. After getting our measurements and photos, Captain Adrian Moeller planted a Gray Fishtag adjacent to the bass’s dorsal fin and sent her home.

Photographs of fish and their measurements are required in order to be eligible for leader board contention in the Manhattan Cup.

The Results

Back at the marina, anglers traded stories of the day’s hardships. To summarize just how challenging the fishing was, the high hook among 40 boats over 6 hours was angler Steve Palmo, who caught and released 6 striped bass aboard LI Fishing Charters with Captain Andy LoCascio.

The largest bluefish was a 15 pounder, caught on an artificial by my teammate’s son, Kevin Overlander, who was fishing aboard the Fish & Chips captained by Paul Andrews.

Sitting atop the Wounder Warrior Leader Board was JoAnne Session, who caught and released a 38-inch striped bass with Captain Andy LoCascio of LI Fishing Charters. Meanwhile, Jim Jensen claimed the title for largest striped bass on the Celebrity Leader Board with a 31-inch fish aboard the Sea Lark with Capt. Chip Capasso.

The Striped Bass Leader Board results are as follows:

Largest Sportfishing Category

  • 43.25″, Kevin Maloney, fishing aboard the Critter Catcher with Capt. David Glassberg

Largest Artificial Category

  • 33″, Brian Lamora, fishing aboard the Sea Lark with Capt. Chip Capasso

Largest Bait Category

  • 45″, Dennis Murray, fishing aboard the Balls and Bucks with Capt. Robb Pami

Largest Fly Category

  • 19.25″, Greg & Joe, fishing aboard the Mako with Capt. Joe Shastay

Smallest Striped Bass

  • 14.50″, Craig Auriemma fishing aboard the Mako with Capt. Joe Shastay

Finally, the Overall Leader Board for Largest Striped Bass was claimed by a 50-inch striper, caught by Capt. Dick Katchow, who was fishing aboard the Bill Chaser with Capt. Don Cartright.

Celebratory drinks, cigars, and a delicious dinner were had back at Liberty House after a successful 2025 Manhattan Cup. We may have left the dock a bit later than expected, and the fishing may have been more challenging than anticipated, but this tournament is so much more than a competition for big fish; it’s about thanking and supporting our veterans by giving back after they gave everything for the betterment of our country. The individuals and companies who dedicate their time, resources and effort to make this charitable fishing tournament possible year in and year out—and in such a bustling urban setting—deserve high praise. I’m already looking forward to next year.

Thank you to all the brave men and women who have served our country, either overseas or on American soil.

» Click here to learn more about the Manhattan Cup, and please consider supporting or partaking in the tournament in 2026. 

Source: https://onthewater.com/the-2025-manhattan-cup

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